Ultralight pilot who flies over Capel each week to wave to his wife melts community’s hearts

A Capel ultralight pilot and his wife have melted the hearts of locals after it was revealed the reason he flew over town every week was to wave to her. Every chance he gets, Greg Harmer takes to the skies to fly his ultralight. And every time he flies over town, he waves to his wife Corine, who pops her head out of work to wave back. It has become a weekly, if not more often, ritual for the couple. And the gesture has won the hearts of many in the small country town’s community. For years, the semi-retired ultralight pilot — who lives on a rural property with its own airstrip just south of Capel — has been cruising over in his tiny aircraft waving. Little did he know, there were many more folk than just his wife waving back. Worried he might be “being a pain in the butt”, Mr Harmer recently posted on the local community Facebook page introducing himself. “I’m the annoying person that keeps flying over Capel in my ultralight aircraft,” he wrote. “I do so to wave to my beautiful wife every now and again as she works in the Capel township. I hope I’m not too annoying and I apologise if I am.” He could not have anticipated what came next. More than 150 comments from locals ensued, many sharing that they too, gave him a wave or that their kids ran outside excitedly every time he flew by. Some even dubbed him “Capel-man”, others saying their kids loved finding him in the sky. The support was both surprising and heartwarming and he said his wife thought it was great. “I’m shocked,” Mr Harmer said. “I can’t believe how many people commented and said really nice things.” Having flown ultralights since he was 15 and 25 years building them for a living, Mr Harmer said he never tired of being up in one of his three aircraft. “I’m the only one up there and I reckon that’s pretty special,” he said. And with the community’s support, he has no plans on stopping his little trips over town to give his “beautiful wife” and the town of Capel a wave.